Short Stories » The Pink Parasol

The Pink Parasol

THE pink parasol had tender whalebone ribs and a slender stick of cherry-wood. It lived with the willful child in the white-house, just beyond the third milestone. All about the trees were green, and the flowers grew tall; in the pond behind the willows the ducks swam round and round and dipped their heads beneath the water.

Every bird and bee, every leaf and flower, loved the child and the pink parasol as they wandered in the garden together, listening to the birds and seeking the shady spots to rest in, or walking up and down the long trim pathway in the sunshine. Yet the child tired of it all, and before the summer was over, was always standing by the gate, watching the straight white road that stretched across the plain.

“If I might but see the city, with the busy streets, and the eager crowds," he was always saying to himself.

Then all that lived in the garden knew that the child would not be with them long. At last the day came when he flung down the pink parasol, and, without even one last look at the garden, ran out at the gate.

The flowers died, and the swallows journeyed south; the trees stretched higher and higher, to see the child come back across the plain, but he never came. “Ah, dear child!" they sighed many a time, "why are you staying? And are your eyes as blue as ever; or have the sad tears dimmed them? And is your hair golden still? And your voice, is it like the singing of the birds? And your heart oh! My dear, my dear, what is in your heart now, that once was so full of summer and the sun?”

The pink parasol lay on the pathway, where the child left it, spoilt by the rain, and splashed by the gravel, faded and forgotten. At last, a gipsy lad, with dark eyes, a freckled face, and little gold rings in his ears, came by; he picked up the pink parasol, hid it under his coat, and carried it to the gipsy tent. There it stayed till one day the cherry-wood stick was broken into three pieces, and the pink parasol was put on the fire to make the water boil for the gipsy's tea.

Pink Parasol - Takeaway for Class 1,2,3

Sharing can lead to happiness and new friendships, just like how Rina's kindness with her pink parasol made everyone smile on a rainy day.

Pink Parasol - Takeaway for Class 4,5,6

Always be kind and helpful to others, as small acts of kindness can create big smiles and lasting friendships.

Pink Parasol - Takeaway for Class 7,8,9

It's important to appreciate and take responsibility for the things we borrow, as they often hold sentimental value to others.

3 Fun Facts

• Mary had a beautiful pink parasol that she loved to carry with her everywhere.
• The pink parasol flew away with the wind one day, landing in a tree where a little bird decided to make it her new home.
• Mary was sad to lose her parasol but happy that the bird found a cozy and colorful house to live in.

Quiz for Class 1,2,3

• What did Mia discover while playing in her backyard?
• How did the animals in the story react when they saw the pink parasol?
• What did Mia do with the pink parasol at the end of the story?

Quiz for Class 4,5,6

• What was the special gift given to Emily by her grandmother, and why was it unique?
• How did Emily's friends react when they first saw her with the pink parasol at the park?
• What important lesson did Emily learn by the end of the story about the pink parasol?

Quiz for Class 7,8,9

• What item did Ritu receive as a gift from her grandmother, which she felt excited to use during the monsoon season?
• How did Ritu's friends react when they first saw her pink parasol at school, and what did they request her to do with it?
• What lesson did Ritu learn after the incident involving the loss and eventual return of her pink parasol?